Texas Flowers In Natural Colors - free ebook by Eula Whitehouse

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Texas Flowers In Natural Colors

Eula Whitehouse

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TEXAS FLOWERS IN NATURAL COLORS

TEXAS FLOWERS IN NATURAL COLORS

BY EULA WHITEHOUSE Illustrations by the Author Published by EULA WHITEHOUSE Dallas, Texas Copyright 1936 and 1948, by Eula Whitehouse Box 739, Southern Methodist University Dallas 5, Texas Printed and bound in the United States of America First Edition 1936 Second Edition 1948...

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TEXAS WILDFLOWERS

TEXAS WILDFLOWERS

From the pine woods to the prairies, From the Panhandle to the sea, You’ll find the Texas wildflowers In marvelous carpetry. Such magic tints of colors, Pale pinks and dainty blues, No artist’s palette can match them In all their radiant hues. The Texas sun has kissed them; To Heaven they lift their eyes; Beauty and Peace it brings them, And Freedom under Texas skies. — Gertrude Whitehouse...

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PREFACE

PREFACE

For more than a century the wild flowers of Texas have been a source of study and pleasure to scientists and flower lovers. The state can boast of a varied and interesting flora which has attracted numerous plant collectors since the first specimens were collected in the Texas Panhandle by Dr. Edwin James, naturalist accompanying the Long Expedition in 1820. Dr. Louis Berlandier, a French botanist, endured the hardships of the Teran Expedition for the exploration of the boundary region between T

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REFERENCE BOOKS ON TEXAS FLOWERS

REFERENCE BOOKS ON TEXAS FLOWERS

For more detailed descriptions, description of other plants, flower uses, and flower legends and history, the following books will prove helpful: PLANT PARTS...

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PLANT PARTS AND PLANT NAMES

PLANT PARTS AND PLANT NAMES

The diagram on the opposite page carries illustrations of most of the terms used in the following descriptions of plants. As it was intended that this manual should serve as a means of plant identification from illustrations, the descriptions have been made very brief. If the reader is interested in a more detailed description, technical books should be consulted. Some botanical terms are rather loosely used in the effort to avoid technical expressions; for example, the fruit of a daisy flower i

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PLANT DISTRIBUTION

PLANT DISTRIBUTION

The above map [1] gives the larger natural areas of the state. The prairie regions afford the most profuse display of wild flowers. In the wooded area of East Texas, the shortleaf pine is abundant in the northern part, the loblolly in the southwestern part, and the longleaf pine in the southeastern part of the area, while hardwoods are found in the river bottoms. The chief trees in the post oak strip are post oak and black jack oak. Among the mountain cedars, live oaks and Spanish oaks, so commo

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WATER-PLANTAIN FAMILY (Alismaceae)

WATER-PLANTAIN FAMILY (Alismaceae)

SMALL ARROWHEAD LONG-LOBED ARROWHEAD Marsh or water plants; leaves mostly basal; sepals 3; petals 3, white or pink, tender; stamens 6 or more; pistils many, free; fruit a head of achenes. Small Arrowhead ( Sagittaria papillosa ) is a common pond dweller in Texas and Louisiana. Like other arrowheads the flowers are borne in whorls, the upper having many stamens and the lower producing the seeds. It may be distinguished from other narrow-leaved forms by the rough (papillose) surface of the floral

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PINEAPPLE FAMILY (Bromeliaceae)

PINEAPPLE FAMILY (Bromeliaceae)

SPANISH MOSS BALL MOSS Chiefly air-plants, some rigid-leaved land plants; floral leaves often conspicuous; 3 sepals; 3 petals; stamens 3-6; pistil 3-celled. Spanish Moss ( Dendropogon usneoides ) has long zig-zag stems hanging in gray masses from the branches of many trees, especially live oaks, from the Coastal Plain of the United States to South America. Sometimes called Florida-moss, wool crape, crape-moss, and long moss, it has long been renowned in literature and industry. Indians and pione

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SPIDERWORT FAMILY (Commelinaceae)

SPIDERWORT FAMILY (Commelinaceae)

GIANT SPIDERWORT PRAIRIE SPIDERWORT Mostly succulent herbs with tuberous or fibrous roots; flowers arising from a cluster of leaf-like bracts; sepals 3; petals 3; stamens 6; ovary 3-celled; fruit capsular. Giant Spiderwort ( Tradescantia gigantea ) grows in clumps of stout stems 2-3 feet high. The numerous flowers on short slender stalks hang out of a cluster of 2-3 upper leaves which have sac-like bases, velvety with soft hairs. The 3-petaled flowers vary in color from purplish-blue to rose or

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PICKEREL-WEED FAMILY (Pontederiaceae)

PICKEREL-WEED FAMILY (Pontederiaceae)

WATER HYACINTH Aquatic plants; leaves alternate, often basal; sepals 3, petal-like; petals 3, sepals and petals partly united; ovary 3-celled. Water Hyacinth ( Eichhornia crassipes ) is also called wampee, river raft, and water orchid. It grows so thick in places that water channels may be blocked, and island-like masses may serve as rafts. With its large spikes of lavender flowers and its broad shining leaves with their curious bulbous floats, it is the queen of our water plants. Many streams,

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LILY FAMILY (Liliaceae)

LILY FAMILY (Liliaceae)

NUTTALL’S DEATH CAMASS WILD HYACINTH Aquatic plants; leaves alternate, often basal; sepals 3, petal-like; petals 3, sepals and petals partly united; ovary 3-celled. Nuttall’s Death Camass ( Toxicoscordion nuttallii ) is a common prairie bunch-flower from Texas to Tennessee and Kansas. The leaves, which are mainly basal, long, narrow, and curved, and the stout stems 1-2 feet high arise from a large black-coated bulb which is poisonous. Many cream-colored flowers are borne in a round-topped cluste

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AMARYLLIS FAMILY (Amaryllidaceae)

AMARYLLIS FAMILY (Amaryllidaceae)

SMALL RAIN LILY GIANT RAIN LILY Plants with bulbs or fibrous roots; leaves basal; sepals 3, petal-like; petals 3, sepals and petals united into a tube below; stamens 6; ovary inferior, 3-celled. Small or Drummond’s Rain Lily ( Cooperia drummondii ) is known in cultivation as evening star. It does not have a stalked seed pod like the giant rain lily and has smaller flowers with much longer tube and shorter and narrower leaves. It blooms in the late summer and fall. The cooperias were named in hon

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IRIS FAMILY (Iridaceae)

IRIS FAMILY (Iridaceae)

PLEATED-LEAF IRIS PRAIRIE CELESTIAL WOODLAND CELESTIAL Perennial herbs with bulbs, corms, or rhizomes; leaves usually basal and flattened at the sides; 3 sepals and 3 petals nearly equal; stamens 3; ovary below the perianth; fruit a 3-celled capsule. Pleated-Leaf Iris ( Herbertia caerulea ) has pleated leaves like the celestials, but the flowers are quite different, the 3 sky-blue sepals being large and spreading and the 3 petals small and inconspicuous. The bases are white with violet markings.

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ORCHID FAMILY (Orchidaceae)

ORCHID FAMILY (Orchidaceae)

SLENDER LADIES’-TRESSES ROSE POGONIA Air plants or tuberous-rooted; leaves alternate, undivided; sepals 3; petals 3, the middle one, or “lip,” often complex in structure; stamens 2 or 1, united to pistil; ovary below the perianth. Slender Ladies’-Tresses ( Ibidium gracile ) is also called twisted-stalk or corkscrew-plant because of the twisting of the flower-stalk. The stems, which are 8 in. to 2 ft. high, grow from a cluster of tuberous roots and have two broad leaves at the base. This flower r

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BUCKWHEAT FAMILY (Polygonaceae)

BUCKWHEAT FAMILY (Polygonaceae)

MANY-FLOWERED BUCKWHEAT Leaves usually alternate; sepals 3-6, sometimes petal-like; petals absent; stamens usually 6-9; ovary 1-celled. Many-Flowered Buckwheat ( Eriogonum multiflorum ) is also called umbrella-plant because of its spreading clusters at the top of the stem. It grows about 2 ft. high, being very abundant in sandy soil from South-central Texas to Arkansas and Louisiana in the late summer and fall. The name means “woolly knees,” referring to the jointed stems. Buckwheat flour is mad

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FOUR-O’CLOCK FAMILY (Nyctaginaceae)

FOUR-O’CLOCK FAMILY (Nyctaginaceae)

SMALL-FLOWERED FOUR-O’CLOCK PINK FOUR-O’CLOCK Leaves opposite or alternate; flowers often surrounded by colored bracts; calyx tubular, often petal-like; petals absent; stamens 1 to many; ovary 1-celled. Gray’s Umbrella-Wort. Pink Four-O’clock ( Allionia grayana ) has delicate pink flowers which have no petals, but the 5 united sepals are petal-like in appearance. The flowers are spreading or funnel-shaped and open in the afternoon. Several flowers are borne together and are surrounded at their b

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POKEWEED FAMILY (Phytolaccaceae)

POKEWEED FAMILY (Phytolaccaceae)

ROUGE PLANT Leaves alternate, entire; sepals 4-5; petals absent; stamens 3 to many, sometimes united at the base; ovary with 1 to many distinct or united carpels. Rouge Plant. Small Pokeberry ( Rivina vernalis ) was named for A. Q. Rivinus, a botanist of Leipzig. It was known as Rivina humilis , the latter name meaning low. It has small flowers, about ¼ in. broad, with 4 white or pink petal-like sepals and 4 stamens. The bright red berries often occur on the stems while flowers are still present

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PURSLANE FAMILY (Portulacaceae)

PURSLANE FAMILY (Portulacaceae)

LANCE-LEAVED PORTULACA SMALL-FLOWERED TALINUM Herbs or undershrubs, often succulent; sepals 2; petals 4-6, soon falling; stamens few or many; ovary 1-celled; fruit a capsule opening by valves or a transverse split. Lance-Leaved Portulaca ( Portulaca lanceolata ) is a weed found in sandy soil from Central and Southern Texas to Arizona. The flowers are less than half an inch broad with 5 pinkish-yellow petals and 7-27 stamens. It may be distinguished from other portulacas by the crown-like rim aro

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PINK FAMILY (Caryophyllaceae)

PINK FAMILY (Caryophyllaceae)

WESTERN CHICKWEED NUTTALL’S STARWORT Stems usually swollen at the joints; leaves opposite; sepals 4-5; petals 4-5, or absent; stamens usually 8-10; ovary usually 1-celled. Western Chickweed ( Cerastium brachypodum ) is one of the early spring flowers to be found throughout the state, ranging from Illinois to Oregon and Mexico. The 5 small white petals are notched at the apex. The name is derived from the Greek meaning “horny” and refers to the horn-shaped capsule from which the seeds are scatter

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WATER-LILY FAMILY (Nymphaeaceae)

WATER-LILY FAMILY (Nymphaeaceae)

BLUE WATER-LILY Aquatic herbs; leaves long-stalked, often floating; flowers solitary, large; sepals 3-6; petals numerous; stamens numerous; carpels 8 or more. Blue Water-Lily ( Nymphaea elegans ) is a common water-lily along the coast of Texas and Mexico, particularly in the vicinity of Corpus Christi. The flowers vary from nearly white to a purplish-blue or lilac and are 3-6 in. broad. The floating leaves, about 7 in. broad, are dark purple below and nearly round; sometimes they have a few scat

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CROWFOOT FAMILY (Ranunculaceae)

CROWFOOT FAMILY (Ranunculaceae)

SOUTHERN ANEMONE Perennials, annuals, or climbing soft-wooded plants; sepals 3 to many; petals few to many; stamens and carpels usually many. Southern Anemone or Windflower ( Anemone decapetala ) has 10-20 sepals which resemble petals, varying from a greenish white and pink to the common pale purplish-blue. The plants are commonly low, about 6 in. high in flower, with a few leaves growing from a tuberous root. The leaves are 3-parted, the segments lobed and toothed. The anemone is the Texas harb

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BARBERRY FAMILY (Berberidaceae)

BARBERRY FAMILY (Berberidaceae)

AGARITA Herbs or shrubs; leaves simple or compound; sepals 6, similar to petals; petals 6; stamens 6, irritable, opening by valves; ovary 1-celled; fruit a berry. Agarita. Texas Barberry ( Berberis trifoliolata ), known also as agrito (meaning “little sour”), chaparral berry, and wild currant, is an evergreen shrub forming an important part of the chaparral in the central and southwestern parts of the state and adjacent Mexico. The thick gray-green leaves are divided into three leaflets which ha

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MOONSEED FAMILY (Menispermaceae)

MOONSEED FAMILY (Menispermaceae)

MOONSEED VINE Usually twining shrubs or small trees; flowers small, unisexual and perfect; sepals 6; petals 6, or absent; stamens 6-12; carpels 3-6; fruit berry-like, 1-seeded. Moonseed Vine ( Cebatha Carolina ) is a vine with clusters of small red berries. It is very abundant throughout the state in woods and on fences, ranging north to Kansas and Virginia. It is also called coral-bead, margil, coral-vine, and red-berried moonseed. “Cebatha,” from the Greek, alludes to its climbing habit, while

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POPPY FAMILY (Papaveraceae)

POPPY FAMILY (Papaveraceae)

ROSE PRICKLY POPPY Annuals or perennials with colored juice; sepals 2-3; petals 4-6, rarely more or wanting; stamens numerous; carpels 2 or more united; capsules opening by valves or pores. Rose Prickly Poppy ( Argemone rosea ) is one of the loveliest flowers of South Texas. It is very abundant along the Rio Grande, extending into Mexico and northward almost to San Antonio. The large flowers vary in color from pale pink to rose and purple-rose and are more cup-shaped than the white-flowered spec

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FUMITORY FAMILY (Fumariaceae)

FUMITORY FAMILY (Fumariaceae)

GOLDEN CORYDALIS TEXAS CORYDALIS Leaves usually much divided; sepals 2; petals 4 in 2 series, outer usually spurred, the 2 inner usually crested and united; stamens 4 or 6; seeds shining. Golden Corydalis. Plains Scrambled-Eggs ( Capnoides montanum ) is a common plant throughout the central and western parts of the state, ranging to Arizona and Montana, and blooming in Texas with the earlier spring flowers in March and April. By some botanists it is placed in the Corydalis group, which was named

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MUSTARD FAMILY (Cruciferae)

MUSTARD FAMILY (Cruciferae)

WHITLOW-GRASS PEPPERGRASS Annual or perennial herbs; sepals 4; petals 4, standing opposite each other in a square cross; stamens, 4 long and 2 short; fruit a special pod called a silique. Wedge-Leaved Whitlow-Grass ( Draba cuneifolia ) is so small that it might be overlooked if it bloomed at any other time than early spring. Growing from a cluster of basal leaves, the stems are topped by the cluster of small, alyssum-like flowers. It grows throughout the Southern United States and Mexico. Alyssu

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PITCHER-PLANT FAMILY (Sarraceniaceae)

PITCHER-PLANT FAMILY (Sarraceniaceae)

YELLOW PITCHER-PLANT Herbs with tubular leaves; flowers nodding; sepals 4-5; petals 5, or absent; stamens numerous; style often umbrella-like; ovary 3-5-celled. Yellow Pitcher-Plant. Trumpet-Leaf ( Sarracenia sledgei ) is also called trumpets, water-cup, watches, and biscuits. The last two names are suggestive of the broad, umbrella-shaped structure bearing the stigmas and occupying the center of the flower. The other names refer to the tubular, ribbed, trumpet-shaped leaves. The flowers are dro

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ORPINE FAMILY (Crassulaceae)

ORPINE FAMILY (Crassulaceae)

PRAIRIE STONECROP Usually succulent herbs; leaves opposite or alternate; sepals 4-5; petals 4-5; stamens 5 or 10; carpels 4-5, free. Prairie or Nuttall’s Stonecrop ( Sedum nuttallianum ) is an annual with forking branches covered with small yellow star-like flowers. The succulent leaves are short and rounded. The sedums are characterized by 4-5 sepals and petals, 8-10 stamens, and 4-5 small spreading seedcases. The prairie stonecrop grows in dry, open places from Missouri to Texas and blooms fro

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ROSE FAMILY (Rosaceae)

ROSE FAMILY (Rosaceae)

WHITE PRAIRIE ROSE Trees, shrubs, or herbs; leaves simple or compound, stipules present; sepals 5; petals 5; stamens numerous; carpels 1 or more; sepals and petals borne on rim of calyx-tube. White Prairie Rose or Woods’ Rose ( Rosa woodsii ) at first glance may be confused with the dewberry because of the low, bushy creeping stems and similar white flowers. The stems are 1-3 ft. high and are armed with straight prickles, usually in pairs; the leaves have 5-9 oval leaflets ½-1½ in. long. The flo

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MIMOSA FAMILY (Mimosaceae)

MIMOSA FAMILY (Mimosaceae)

HUISACHE (Pronounced wee satch ) Usually trees or shrubs; leaves mostly twice pinnate; flowers small, in heads or spikes; sepals 5, calyx tubular; petals 5; stamens 5 or more; ovary 1-celled; fruit a pod. Huisache ( Acacia farnesiana ), also known as opoponax, popinac, cassie, and sweet acacia, is a tropical shrub or small tree native to the Americas but widely introduced in other countries. The wide-spreading, graceful trees are almost evergreen, as the leaves are not shed before new ones appea

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SENNA FAMILY (Cassiaceae)

SENNA FAMILY (Cassiaceae)

TEXAS REDBUD Trees, shrubs, or rarely herbs; leaves usually once or twice pinnate; flowers mostly showy; sepals 5; petals 5; stamens mostly 10; ovary 1-celled; fruit a pod. Texas Redbud ( Cercis reniformis ) is one of the handsomest shrubs of the limestone hill region of Texas and New Mexico. The pea-shaped flowers appear on last year’s wood in February or March, often remaining lovely for a month before the leaves appear. The leaves are a glossy green above, rounded and sometimes deeply notched

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KRAMERIA FAMILY (Krameriaceae)

KRAMERIA FAMILY (Krameriaceae)

PRAIRIE SAND-BUR Shrubs or perennials, leaves small; flowers irregular; sepals 4-5, petal-like; petals 4-5, smaller than sepals; stamens 3-4, united at base; fruit woody, armed with spines. Prairie Sand-Bur. Linear-Leaved Krameria ( Krameria lanceolata ) is not the sand-bur of the grass family with which all children of the South are familiar; however, the burs are just as spiny, but are densely covered with white hairs. The flowers and short silky leaves grow on prostrate branches from a thick

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PEA FAMILY (Fabaceae)

PEA FAMILY (Fabaceae)

TEXAS MOUNTAIN LAUREL Leaves simple or compound; flowers pea-shaped; sepals 5, united in a tube; petals 5; stamens often 10 and united in 1 or 2 groups; fruit a 1-celled pod. Texas Mountain Laurel ( Sophora secundiflora ) is an evergreen shrub or small tree growing on limestone hillsides from Texas to New Mexico and Mexico; it is particularly abundant in Southwest-Central Texas. The dense clusters of violet-blue flowers, at their best in the latter part of March but blooming earlier or later in

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GERANIUM FAMILY (Geraniaceae)

GERANIUM FAMILY (Geraniaceae)

CRANE’S BILL STORK’S BILL Leaves simple or compound; sepals 4-5; petals mostly 5; stamens 5, 10, or 15, more or less united at base; carpels 3-5, prolonged into styles. Crane’s Bill. Texas Geranium ( Geranium texanum ) is very much like the Carolina geranium. The small white flowers are inconspicuous, but the seed capsules with their long beaks resembling the crane’s bill are very noticeable. The scientific name is from the Greek meaning “crane.” The Texas geranium differs from the Carolina gera

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FLAX FAMILY (Linaceae)

FLAX FAMILY (Linaceae)

BLUE PRAIRIE FLAX Leaves simple; sepals usually 5, free or united at base; petals usually 5, soon falling; stamens 5, united at base; styles 3-5, thread-like; capsules 3-5-celled. Blue Prairie Flax ( Linum lewisii ) has lovely sky-blue flowers, 1-1½ in. across. The petals are veined with purple and drop off in the heat of the day or upon being disturbed. This flax is a slender, branched plant with a perennial root. It is very abundant on the prairies in the vicinity of Ft. Worth and Dallas, bloo

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WOOD-SORREL FAMILY (Oxalidaceae)

WOOD-SORREL FAMILY (Oxalidaceae)

DRUMMOND’S WOOD-SORREL Leaves digitately or pinnately divided; sepals 5; petals 5; stamens 10, slightly united at base; ovary 5-celled; styles 5, free; fruit a capsule. Drummond’s Wood-Sorrel ( Oxalis drummondii ) is also called sour-grass, vinegar-grass, oxalis, and violet wood-sorrel. It grows in dry soil from Central Texas to New Mexico, blooming in the late summer and fall. It has flowers like the violet wood-sorrel with similar basal leaves growing from a bulb. As a rule, the plants and flo

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MILKWORT FAMILY (Polygalaceae)

MILKWORT FAMILY (Polygalaceae)

PINK MILKWORT WHITE MILKWORT PURPLE MILKWORT Flowers pea-shaped; sepals 5, the 2 inner larger and often petal-like; petals 3 or 5, the lower concave, often fringed; stamens 8, united, opening by apical pores; fruit a 2-celled capsule. Pink or Bitter Milkwort ( Polygala polygama ) is a showy-flowered milkwort growing in sandy woods in East Texas. It has erect branches with slender clusters of pink flowers about ¼ in. long and horizontal branches under the soil bearing closed flowers which are sel

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SPURGE FAMILY (Euphorbiaceae)

SPURGE FAMILY (Euphorbiaceae)

BULL NETTLE Flowers staminate and pistillate, often borne in an involucre; sepals sometimes reduced or absent; petals usually absent; stamens 1 to 1,000; styles free or united at base; fruit usually a 3-lobed capsule. Bull Nettle ( Cnidoscolus texanus ), also called tread-softly, spurge-nettle, and “mala mujer” (bad woman), is a vicious plant thickly clothed with stinging hairs and bearing clusters of tubular white flowers quite similar to the tuberose in appearance and fragrance. The plants gro

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HOLLY FAMILY (Aquifoliaceae)

HOLLY FAMILY (Aquifoliaceae)

YAUPON Trees or shrubs, mostly evergreen; sepals 3-6; petals 4-5; stamens 4-5, opposite petals; carpels 3 or more; fruit a drupe. Yaupon. Cassine ( Ilex vomitoria ) with dark glossy evergreen leaves and red berries forms lovely hedges along the highways and fields and is scattered through woods in Central and East Texas, ranging to Virginia. The berries, an excellent bird food, usually remain on the shrubs until the small white flowers appear in late March or April. The plant forms a dense widel

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BUCKEYE FAMILY (Aesculaceae)

BUCKEYE FAMILY (Aesculaceae)

SOUTHERN BUCKEYE Leaves digitate; calyx tubular, 5-lobed; petals 4-5, unequal; stamens 5-8, inserted on disk; capsules leathery, usually 3-celled; seeds large, shining. Southern Buckeye ( Aesculus discolor ) is a handsome shrub or small tree with showy spike-like clusters of deep red or yellow flowers. The yellow-flowered shrub formerly known as Aesculus octandra is now called variety flavescens . The finely-toothed leaves are a glossy dark green above and whitish beneath. The red flowers have a

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MALLOW FAMILY (Malvaceae)

MALLOW FAMILY (Malvaceae)

INDIAN MALLOW LARGE-FLOWERED SIDA Leaves mostly palmately nerved; sepals 3-5, more or less united; petals 5; stamens numerous, united into a column; style branched above. Indian Mallow ( Abutilon incanum ) is a much branched plant, commonly 2-4 ft. tall, with rather small ovate leaves, and yellow flowers nearly an inch across. It is a profuse bloomer in the summer and fall. Like other abutilons, it is sometimes called flowering maple because of the maple-like leaves, and may be easily recognized

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VIOLET FAMILY (Violaceae)

VIOLET FAMILY (Violaceae)

MISSOURI VIOLET LANCE-LEAVED VIOLET Small or leafy stipules on leaves; sepals 5; petals 5, the lower usually larger and spurred; flowers often cleistogamous; fruit usually a capsule. Missouri Violet ( Viola missouriensis ) grows in low grounds and moist woods from Missouri to Louisiana and Texas, the flowers blooming in Texas in March and April. They are very much like the common cultivated violet ( Viola odorata ) introduced from Europe. Water or Lance-Leaved Violet ( Viola lanceolata ) is a sm

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LOASA FAMILY (Loasaceae)

LOASA FAMILY (Loasaceae)

PRAIRIE-LILY STIFF NUTTALLIA Usually herbs which are clothed with rough, bristly hairs; sepals usually 5, calyx tube joined to ovary; petals usually 5; stamens numerous, the outer petal-like; ovary inferior. Prairie-Lily. Showy Mentzelia ( Mentzelia decapetala ) is a handsome-flowered plant which ranges from the Panhandle to Southern Canada. The large flowers, 3-5 inches across, greatly resemble those of the cactus group and have the same tendency to open in the afternoon. The stout, branching p

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CACTUS FAMILY (Cactaceae)

CACTUS FAMILY (Cactaceae)

Succulent herbs and shrubs; stems usually spiny and leafless; sepals and petals not differentiated, few or many; stamens many; ovary inferior; fruit pulpy, often edible. Devil’s Tongue. Low Prickly Pear ( Opuntia humifusa ) grows in dry, rocky or sandy soil from Texas to Missouri, the flowers blooming in May and June and the fruits ripening to a rose-red in the late summer and fall. The flat-jointed stems are often oval but vary in shape and in the number of large spines growing from the spine c

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LOOSESTRIFE FAMILY (Lythraceae)

LOOSESTRIFE FAMILY (Lythraceae)

LANCE-LEAVED LOOSESTRIFE Leaves opposite or whorled; sepals 4-6, united into a tube; petals 4-6, or absent, attached on calyx tube; stamens few or many; ovary superior. Lance-Leaved Loosestrife ( Lythrum lanceolatum ) grows in low grounds or swamps from Texas to Oklahoma and South Carolina. The loosestrife family is close kin to the evening-primrose family and has 4-6 petals borne above the seed capsule. “Lythrum” is from the Greek meaning “gore” and refers to the red-purple color of some of the

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EVENING-PRIMROSE FAMILY (Epilobiaceae)

EVENING-PRIMROSE FAMILY (Epilobiaceae)

ERECT EVENING-PRIMROSE Calyx joined to ovary and often produced beyond it; petals usually 4; stamens usually 4 or 8; ovary inferior; seeds numerous. Erect Evening-Primrose ( Œnothera heterophylla ) grows in sandy soil in Florida and on the edge of post oak woods in South-central Texas. The plants bloom in April and May. It is very much like the rhombic evening-primrose ( Œnothera rhombipetala ) but has slenderer, shorter stems and is not often branched. The petals are similar, and their rhombic

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DOGWOOD FAMILY (Cornaceae)

DOGWOOD FAMILY (Cornaceae)

FLOWERING DOGWOOD Leaves usually opposite; sepals usually 4, calyx tube joined to the ovary; petals usually 4, or absent; stamens 4, alternate with the petals; ovary inferior; fruit a drupe. Flowering Dogwood ( Cornus florida ) grows from Massachusetts to Ontario, Texas, and Mexico, but few people realize that it grows very luxuriantly and is widespread in the woods of East Texas. The beauty of the dogwood is not in the flowers, as one might expect, but in the four broad white floral leaves (bra

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CARROT FAMILY (Umbelliferae)

CARROT FAMILY (Umbelliferae)

PRAIRIE LACE Furrowed stems; leaves usually much divided, sheathing at the base; sepals 5, calyx tube joined to ovary; petals 5; stamens 5; ovary inferior; fruit 2-celled, prominently ribbed and often with resin canals. Prairie Lace. Dwarf Queen Anne’s Lace ( Bifora americana ) is the pride of the North Texas prairie in late April and May. It is also found in Oklahoma and Arkansas. In favorable seasons it grows in great masses with the Indian blankets and the false coreopsis. The umbrella-cluste

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HEATH FAMILY (Ericaceae)

HEATH FAMILY (Ericaceae)

TREE-HUCKLEBERRY Herbs or shrubs; sepals 4-5; corolla urn-shaped or cylindric, 4-5-lobed; stamens 8 or 10; anthers opening by terminal pores; ovary superior or inferior. Tree-Huckleberry. Farkleberry ( Batodendron arboreum ) is also known as upland-huckleberry, sparkleberry, and gooseberry. The name is Greek and means “blackberry tree.” The huckleberries are often placed in a family separate from other heaths. The tree-huckleberry is a shrub or small tree, very abundant in the woods of East Texa

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PRIMROSE FAMILY (Primulaceae)

PRIMROSE FAMILY (Primulaceae)

TEXAS WATER-PIMPERNEL SHOOTING STAR Leaves often basal; sepals usually 5, often leafy; corolla tubular, 5-lobed; stamens 5, opposite the petals; ovary superior; fruit a capsule. Texas Water-Pimpernel. Brookweed ( Samolus cuneatus ) is a plant found wherever springs or moist ledges occur in limestone hills of Texas. The plants have a basal rosette of broad rounded leaves. The slender stems are 6-12 inches high and bear a few leaves which are narrowed at the base. The 5-lobed white flowers are sho

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EBONY FAMILY (Ebenaceae)

EBONY FAMILY (Ebenaceae)

MEXICAN PERSIMMON Trees or shrubs; leaves usually leathery; calyx 3-11-lobed; petals united, 3-7; stamens 6-14, or more; ovary superior. Mexican Persimmon ( Diospyros texana ) is also called ’possum plum, “chapote,” and black persimmon. It is a shrub or small tree found in river-valleys and on limestone hills from Central Texas to Mexico. It may be easily recognized by its smooth, light-gray bark, small leaves, and creamy heath-like flowers. The bell-shaped flowers are in dense clusters on the t

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GENTIAN FAMILY (Gentianaceae)

GENTIAN FAMILY (Gentianaceae)

MOUNTAIN PINK Leaves opposite; calyx usually tubular, 5-lobed; petals united at base, 4-12; stamens as many as petals; ovary superior. Mountain Pink. Showy Centaury ( Erythraea beyrichii ) grows on gravelly limestone hills in Texas and Arkansas. The stems are branched near the base and often form hemispherical clumps a foot in diameter which are covered with pink flowers in June. The plants are being rapidly exterminated for ornamental purposes, for they are very showy and the flowers will last

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DOGBANE FAMILY (Apocynaceae)

DOGBANE FAMILY (Apocynaceae)

BLUE TEXAS STAR Plants with milky juice; sepals usually 5; corolla tubular, 5-lobed; stamens usually 5, inserted on corolla tube and alternate with the lobes; ovary superior; fruit mostly of 2 spreading follicles. Blue Texas Star. Texas Dogbane. Blue-Star ( Amsonia texana ) belongs to a group named in honor of Charles Amson, a colonial physician. The stems are usually unbranched, 8-12 inches high, and are covered with narrow linear leaves. Like that of other amsonias, the tubular throat is lined

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MILKWEED FAMILY (Asclepiadaceae)

MILKWEED FAMILY (Asclepiadaceae)

GREEN-FLOWERED MILKWEED Leaves usually opposite or whorled; sepals 5; petals 5, usually reflexed and with a 5-lobed crown; stamens 5, the pollen united into 1 or 2 waxy masses in each sac; carpels 2, free except for the united disk-like stigma. Green-Flowered Milkweed. Silkweed ( Asclepiodora decumbens ) is a widespread plant from Arkansas to Utah and Northern Mexico. It is found on the central and western plains, blooming in early spring and sometimes again in the fall. The stout, leafy stems,

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DICHONDRA FAMILY (Dichondraceae)

DICHONDRA FAMILY (Dichondraceae)

CAROLINA DICHONDRA PRETTY DODDER Herbs with creeping stems; sepals 5; corolla bell-shaped, 5-lobed; stamens 5; carpels 2, separate. Carolina Dichondra. Ground Ivy ( Dichondra carolinensis ) is, of course, not even kin to the ivy, but it does form a green carpet over the ground in places. It is widely scattered in the state and in many other localities. The greenish-white flowers are small and inconspicuous under the round leaves and are almost buried in the soil. The leaves are about an inch bro

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DODDER FAMILY (Cuscutaceae)

DODDER FAMILY (Cuscutaceae)

Pretty Dodder. Love Vine. Strangle-Weed ( Cuscuta indecora ) may be noted in conspicuous orange or gold masses covering other plants. It is a leafless parasitic vine bearing small clusters of white flowers. The flowers are less than one fourth inch broad and have the petal-tips turned inward. There are many dodders in the state, and each kind is parasitic only on certain plants. The pretty dodder attacks the wild verbena and other herbs and low shrubs from Illinois to Texas and other parts of Am

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MORNING-GLORY FAMILY (Convolvulaceae)

MORNING-GLORY FAMILY (Convolvulaceae)

TEXAS BINDWEED PURPLE MORNING-GLORY Plants twining or erect; sepals 5; corolla mostly funnelform, 5-lobed; stamens 5, on corolla tube; ovary superior; fruit usually a ball-shaped capsule separating into 2-4 lobes. Texas Bindweed ( Convolvulus hermannioides ) has small white morning-glory flowers with a dark-red center. They are seldom more than an inch broad. The spreading or twining vines reach a length of several feet. The leaves are very variable in shape and often have spreading lobes at eac

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PHLOX FAMILY (Polemoniaceae)

PHLOX FAMILY (Polemoniaceae)

Mostly annual and perennial herbs; calyx 5-lobed; corolla tubular, 5-lobed; ovary usually 3-celled; style often 3-parted; stamens 5, inserted on corolla-tube; capsules small. Standing Cypress. Red Gilia ( Gilia rubra ) might also be called torch flowers, for the tall spikes with their masses of red tubular flowers make flaming spots of color on the edges of the post oak woods in May and June. It is sometimes known as Indian plume, Texas plume, or red Texas star. The plants are usually unbranched

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WATER-LEAF FAMILY (Hydrophyllaceae)

WATER-LEAF FAMILY (Hydrophyllaceae)

BABY BLUE-EYES PURPLE PHACELIA Flowers usually in curled clusters; calyx deeply 5-lobed; petals united, usually 5; stamens 5, on corolla-tube; ovary superior; styles 2. Baby Blue-Eyes. Flannel Breeches ( Nemophila phacelioides ) forms a lovely carpet on banks and in moist woods near the prairie regions of Texas and Arkansas. The dainty flowers are about one inch broad, with 5 broadly-spreading lobes of lavender, paler at the base. The leaves are divided into 5-9 broad segments which are irregula

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BORAGE FAMILY (Borraginaceae)

BORAGE FAMILY (Borraginaceae)

SOUTHERN HELIOTROPE BINDWEED HELIOTROPE Leaves usually alternate; flowers often in curled clusters; sepals 5; petals 5, united; stamens 5, on corolla-tube; ovary often deeply 4-lobed; fruit a drupe or of 4 nutlets. Southern Heliotrope ( Cochranea anchusaefolia ) grows in limestone soil from Central Texas to Florida and tropical America. It may often be found from spring to fall in the shelter of mesquite or prickly pear. The white-flowered sea-heliotrope ( Heliotropium curassavicum ) is very abu

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VERBENA FAMILY (Verbenaceae)

VERBENA FAMILY (Verbenaceae)

LARGE-FLOWERED VERVAIN SLENDER VERVAIN Branches often 4-angled; leaves opposite; flowers often whorled; calyx 5-lobed; petals 4-5, united; calyx and corolla often 2-lipped; stamens 4, on corolla-tube; ovary often 4-celled. Slender Vervain ( Verbena halei ) was, until a few years ago, considered the same as the European vervain ( Verbena officinalis ), but it is now recognized as a different plant. Misty-looking purple patches on the roadside ahead usually turn out to be masses of the slender ver

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MINT FAMILY (Labiatae)

MINT FAMILY (Labiatae)

PRAIRIE SKULLCAP Stems usually 4-angled; leaves opposite; calyx 5-lobed, often 2-lipped; corolla 4-5-lobed, usually 2-lipped; stamens 4 or 2, on corolla-tube; fruit of 4 nutlets. Prairie Skullcap ( Scutellaria resinosa ) turns its saucy flowers upward and covers the dense clumps with a purple glow. The tubular flowers are nearly an inch long and 2-lipped, with two short lobes forming the velvety, arched upper lip and with three broad lobes forming the spreading lower lip. The middle lobe is mark

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POTATO FAMILY (Solanaceae)

POTATO FAMILY (Solanaceae)

PURPLE NIGHTSHADE Leaves alternate; calyx 4-6-lobed; petals united, 5; stamens 5, on corolla-tube, anthers often opening by apical pores; ovary 2-celled; fruit a capsule or berry. Purple Nightshade ( Solanum elaeagnifolium ) is sometimes called silver-leaved nightshade or “trompillo.” Although bearing lovely star-shaped lavender flowers, the purple nightshade is considered a pernicious weed in fields and gardens. It grows from deep, woody perennial roots and blooms profusely even in seasons of d

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FIGWORT FAMILY (Scrophulariaceae)

FIGWORT FAMILY (Scrophulariaceae)

PURPLE PAINT-BRUSH CENIZO Leaves alternate, opposite, or whorled; sepals, 4-5; corolla tubular, 4-5-lobed, 2-lipped; stamens often 4, in pairs on corolla-tube, sterile stamen often present; ovary 2-celled, superior. Purple Paint-Brush ( Castilleja purpurea ) grows on limestone slopes and rocky prairies in North-central Texas. The low stems grow from a woody perennial root. The flowers and floral leaves are both conspicuously colored, varying from rose to purple. The divided leaves are a lovely a

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TRUMPET-CREEPER FAMILY (Bignoniaceae)

TRUMPET-CREEPER FAMILY (Bignoniaceae)

DESERT WILLOW Leaves opposite, mostly compound; flowers showy, often 2-lipped; calyx tubular, 5-lobed; petals 5, united; stamens 4 or 2, in pairs on corolla-tube; capsules often long, with winged seeds. Desert Willow ( Chilopsis linearis ), also called flowering willow, willow-leaved catalpa, and “mimbre,” is a common shrub along water courses from West Texas to Southern California and Northern Mexico. When it is not in flower or fruit, it may be mistaken for the black willow ( Salix nigra ), wh

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ACANTHUS FAMILY (Acanthaceae)

ACANTHUS FAMILY (Acanthaceae)

FLAME ACANTHUS Leaves opposite; calyx 4-5-lobed; sepals 5; petals 5, united, sometimes 2-lipped; stamens on tube, 2 or 4 in 2 pairs; fruit a capsule, often club-shaped, opening elastically. Flame Acanthus ( Anisacanthus wrightii ) is covered with scarlet flowers from early summer until frost. It is a low, widely branched shrub, about 2 feet high, found in rocky soil of the mountains of West Texas. The corollas have a narrow tube and five narrow, spreading lobes which are nearly equal but somewha

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PLANTAIN FAMILY (Plantaginaceae)

PLANTAIN FAMILY (Plantaginaceae)

TALLOW-WEED RED-SEEDED PLANTAIN Herbs; leaves basal; calyx 4-lobed; corolla papery, 3-4-lobed; stamens 4, on corolla-tube; capsule (in ours) opening by a horizontal division. Tallow-Weed. Wright’s Plantain ( Plantago wrightiana ) is a common plant on prairies from Texas to Arizona and blooms from April to June. It is called tallow-weed because cattle fatten on the plants. The stems are 6-8 in. high, and the numerous basal leaves are half as long, narrow, smooth, and dark green. The small 4-lobed

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MADDER FAMILY (Rubiaceae)

MADDER FAMILY (Rubiaceae)

SMALL BLUET LEAST BLUET Leaves opposite or whorled; in ours, sepals and petals usually 4, but may be 4-10, calyx joining ovary wall; stamens 4-10, on corolla-tube; ovary inferior, 2-5-celled. Small Bluet ( Houstonia patens ) has violet-blue flowers which are among the first blossoms of spring. They dot golf courses and sandy meadows from Texas to Virginia and Illinois in February and March. The bluets are also called innocence and angel-eyes. Least Bluet ( Houstonia minima ) is a smaller plant t

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HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY (Caprifoliaceae)

HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY (Caprifoliaceae)

CORAL HONEYSUCKLE Usually shrubs; leaves opposite; calyx joining ovary wall, 5-lobed; corolla 5-lobed, tubular and often 2-lipped; stamens 4-5, on corolla-tube; ovary inferior; fruit a fleshy berry. Southern Woodbine. Coral or Trumpet Honeysuckle ( Lonicera sempervirens ) is quite common in the woods of East Texas and other Southern States, blooming in Texas in late March and continuing until fall. It is an evergreen vine that has been widely introduced into cultivation. The flowers are not so c

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VALERIAN FAMILY (Valerianaceae)

VALERIAN FAMILY (Valerianaceae)

LAMB’S LETTUCE Leaves opposite; calyx of several bristles or absent; petals 2-5, partly united; stamens usually 4, on corolla-tube; ovary inferior, 3-celled but only 1 cell fertile. Lamb’s Lettuce. Texas or Dwarf Corn Salad ( Valerianella amarella ) is one of the first white-flowered spring plants, growing in such abundance that the prairies are white with the blooms. It is a much smaller plant than the dwarf Queen Anne’s lace which is so lovely late in April and May. In the field it is usually

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GOURD FAMILY (Cucurbitaceae)

GOURD FAMILY (Cucurbitaceae)

WILD BALSAM GOURD Tendrils mostly present, stems often prostrate; flowers usually unisexual; calyx tubular, 5-lobed; petals united or separate; stamens usually 3, one anther always 1-celled, the other two 2-celled; ovary inferior. Wild Balsam Gourd ( Ibervillea lindheimeri ) has bright scarlet balls about an inch in diameter and makes conspicuous spots of color on fences in the fall. The vine is slender, bearing small yellow flowers in the spring. The fruits are green at first, turning orange an

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BELL-FLOWER FAMILY (Campanulaceae)

BELL-FLOWER FAMILY (Campanulaceae)

VENUS’ LOOKING-GLASS WESTERN VENUS’ LOOKING-GLASS Juice usually milky; leaves alternate; calyx tube joined to ovary, 3-10-lobed; corolla tubular or bell-shaped, sepals and petals usually 5; stamens 5; ovary inferior, 2-10-celled. Venus’ Looking-Glass ( Specularia perfoliata ) is a very common American plant blooming in Texas in the early spring. Like the later flowers of many violets, the first flowers never open and are self-fertilized. The later flowers have a showy 5-lobed purple corolla abou

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LOBELIA FAMILY (Lobeliaceae)

LOBELIA FAMILY (Lobeliaceae)

Juice often milky; sepals 5; corolla 1-2-lipped, united; stamens 5, anthers joined into a tube. Prairie Lobelia ( Lobelia brachypoda ) grows on sandy prairies in Southern Texas and the adjacent part of Mexico. It is very abundant west of Falfurrias in March. The Texas lobelias may usually be recognized by the five united stamens which have gray anthers bearded at the top. The plants often have a milky sap containing a poisonous alkaloid which is used in medicine. The red cardinal flower ( Lobeli

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COMPOSITE FAMILY (Compositae)

COMPOSITE FAMILY (Compositae)

BALDWIN’S IRONWEED Flowers crowded into heads surrounded by bracts; outer flowers often strap-shaped and are called ray flowers; inner flowers are tubular and are called disk flowers; sometimes flowers are all of one type; calyx usually modified into bristles or awns (pappus); petals united, tubular, 4-5-lobed; stamens 5, anthers united into a tube; styles 2-lobed; ovary 1-celled, inferior. (See p. xii .) Baldwin’s Ironweed ( Vernonia baldwinii ) has broad, flat-topped clusters of purple heads.

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CHICORY FAMILY (Cichoriaceae)

CHICORY FAMILY (Cichoriaceae)

PURPLE DANDELION Plants with milky juice; all flowers strap-shaped, in dense heads, surrounded by involucral bracts; corolla 5-lobed; stamens 5; ovary inferior. Purple Dandelion. Flowering Straw ( Lygodesmia texana ) can nearly always be found in the prairie sections of the state from spring to fall, but the lovely flowers seldom make a showy display along the roadsides. Only one head blooms at a time on the slender forking stems, and that remains open only in the mornings. The heads are made up

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FINDING LISTS

FINDING LISTS

The reader may find the following distribution of pages and symbols helpful in identifying plants: (See map p. xvi )...

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